Local Sports
Nashville Wins Class 2A Girls Basketball Title
NORMAL, Ill. (AP) - Erica Brown scored 14 points and Shawn Rennegarbe added 11 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the free throw line as Nashville won its first girls basketball state title with a 42-29 win over Champaign St. Thomas More.The Hornettes (33-2) led throughout Saturday's Class 2A game despite being outrebounded by the Sabers (32-3), winning with a stifling defense that held St. Thomas More to just 25-percent shooting in the game. The Sabers grabbed 32 rebounds to Nashville's 28 but the Hornettes forced bad shots all night by St. Thomas More and then knocked down 16 of their 22 free throws.
St. Thomas More was led by 6-foot-4-inch freshman Tori McCoy with nine points and eight rebounds.
It's the first title for Nashville in eight trips to the state finals.
In the third place game, El Paso-Gridley's rough first half of shooting didn't stop it from knocking off Melrose Park Walther Lutheran, 55-46, and taking third place in Class 2A high school girls' basketball.
Codee Schlipf's 18 points and Rebekah Ehresman's 16 paced the Titans (30-2). Both also had six rebounds.
El Paso-Gridley made just 9 of 25 shots in the first half Saturday, including missing all eight attempts from 3-point range. The Titans improved dramatically in the second half, hitting half their shots (11-22) overall and making two of the five 3-pointers they took.
It was the Titans' first time in the state finals.
Walther Lutheran's Isimeme Edekohad had 12 points and 18 rebounds. Dana Turner added 11 points for the Broncos (26-8), who got their second fourth-place finish in seven years.
See other LocalSports news:
McCutchen, Pirates Beat Cubs for 4th Straight WinRed Wings Top Blackhawks 2-0, Take 3-1 Series Lead
Salem Little League Round Up 05-23
Cougars Rout North Clay to Advance
Register Now for Lady Wildcat Basketball Camp
Follow Us At